Legislative Activity

The UNLOCK Act amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to expand how federal housing funds can be used. This legislation now allows local entities to directly use these funds for the construction of new housing specifically for low- and moderate-income residents. The bill removes the requirement for these entities to partner with a nonprofit organization to carry out the new construction projects.

The Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act of 2025 urges the Chinese government to enhance controls over precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production through cooperation, stricter shipping rules, and "know-your-customer" requirements. The bill also expands the definition of a "foreign opioid trafficker" under existing sanctions law to specifically target certain Chinese entities and officials who facilitate or fail to stop illicit opioid trafficking. Furthermore, it imposes new reporting and regulatory standards on the President when using emergency economic powers related to international drug trafficking. Finally, the Act explicitly prohibits using the sanctions authorized by this law to block the importation of general goods.

The Made-in-America Defense Act mandates an annual review of defense items currently restricted to government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS). This review, conducted by the State and Defense Departments, compares FMS transfer times against potential direct commercial sales to allies. The goal is to identify and potentially move items off the "FMS-only list" to speed up delivery of critical defense equipment to partners. A public report detailing findings, delays, and changes to the restricted list must then be submitted to Congress.

The Uyghur Policy Act of 2025 formally condemns the People's Republic of China's repression and cultural erasure of Uyghurs and other minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It directs the U.S. government to prioritize protecting Uyghur identity, demanding immediate access to detention facilities, and coordinating international pressure to secure the release of political prisoners. Furthermore, the Act mandates strengthening State Department efforts, including Uyghur language training and public diplomacy funding, to counter transnational harassment and raise global awareness of these human rights abuses.

The ARMOR Act aims to streamline defense trade and cooperation among the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada by expanding expedited export license reviews for defense items and services shared between these nations. It also directs the President to work with the UK and Australia to harmonize policies regarding extraterritoriality to reduce maintenance and repair delays. Furthermore, the bill establishes new annual reporting requirements for the President to track the implementation and usage of these expedited review processes over the next 15 years. Finally, it mandates regular reviews to narrow the list of defense technologies that still require special licensing.

The Undersea Cable Control Act mandates the development of a comprehensive U.S. strategy to prevent foreign adversaries from acquiring the necessary components for undersea cable projects. This strategy requires identifying critical parts, coordinating export controls with allies, and establishing international agreements to block access. The President must report on this strategy to Congress annually for three years, while the Commerce Secretary reviews and strengthens export controls on relevant technologies.

The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of State to annually report on the links between Haitian criminal gangs and the nation's political and economic elites. Based on these findings, the President must impose sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on identified foreign individuals. The law is designed to expose and penalize collusion that threatens U.S. interests and the Haitian people, with provisions set to expire after five years.

This bill aims to streamline the process for approving commercial sales of U.S. defense items abroad by establishing priority lists for key national security partners. It mandates specific, faster decision timelines for export applications, setting a 45-day review for priority countries and a 60-day review for all others. Furthermore, the legislation requires the Secretary of State to report semi-annually to Congress on any applications that miss these new deadlines.

The Save our Safety-Net Hospitals Act of 2025 modifies how states calculate Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments under Medicaid to ensure hospitals receive appropriate supplemental funding. This bill updates eligibility criteria by changing which patient costs are included in the DSH calculation formula. Furthermore, it allows states to use previously unspent federal DSH funds to increase payments for certain past rate years, provided they adhere to existing allotment caps.

The Increasing Nutrition Access for Seniors Act of 2025 aims to streamline and improve SNAP benefits for eligible seniors and disabled individuals. This bill extends certification periods up to 36 months for households with no earned income and introduces greater flexibility for medical expense deductions, including a self-attestation option. These changes are designed to reduce administrative burdens for long-term recipients while ensuring continued access to necessary food assistance.

This joint resolution formally honors the thirteen U.S. service members who were killed in the August 26, 2021, bombing at Abbey Gate during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. It recognizes their ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation and expresses deep gratitude to their Gold Star Families. The bill essentially establishes a National Day of Remembrance to ensure their faithful service in the fight for liberty is never forgotten.

The AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025 streamlines defense cooperation between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. This legislation eases restrictions on the export, re-export, and transfer of defense articles among the three nations, removing certain presidential authorization requirements. Furthermore, it eliminates specific certification requirements for technical assistance and manufacturing license agreements conducted within Australia or the United Kingdom. Overall, the bill aims to increase flexibility and efficiency in defense trade and technology sharing under the AUKUS partnership.

The American Decade of Sports Act establishes a "Mega-Decade Sports Diplomacy Strategy" to leverage major international sporting events hosted in the U.S. between 2024 and 2034 to enhance America's global standing. This requires the State Department to create comprehensive 5-year plans detailing diplomatic goals, partnerships, and visa facilitation efforts. Furthermore, the Act mandates the creation of a dedicated Office of Sports Diplomacy to coordinate and execute these strategy objectives across government and private sectors. The Secretary of State must provide annual progress reports to Congress on the implementation of these goals until the end of 2034.

The Safe Air on Airplanes Act mandates the phase-out of "bleed air systems" in new aircraft designs to improve cabin air quality. This legislation requires the FAA to ban these systems in future aircraft designs within six months. For existing aircraft designs still in production, the bill requires the installation of specialized filters within seven years, followed by a 30-year timeline for completely eliminating bleed air systems from newly manufactured planes.

The Enduring Welcome Act of 2025 establishes a permanent Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts within the State Department to streamline and support the resettlement of Afghan allies. This Act mandates the creation of a secure, centralized database to track all applicants, beneficiaries, and relocation progress, ensuring accountability to Congress. The Coordinator will manage interagency efforts, resolve family reunification roadblocks, and provide integration support for covered persons. This entire framework is set to automatically expire five years after enactment unless otherwise specified.

This bill, the Maintaining American Superiority by Improving Export Control Transparency Act, mandates the Secretary of Commerce to submit an annual, detailed report to Congress regarding specific export license applications and end-use checks involving high-risk foreign entities. The report must detail company names, item descriptions, final destinations, and the outcomes of compliance checks. While most of this information will remain confidential to protect ongoing investigations, the legislation aims to increase congressional oversight of sensitive technology transfers.

The Connected Maternal Online Monitoring (Connected MOM) Act aims to improve health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women on Medicaid by examining and addressing barriers to state coverage for remote physiologic monitoring devices. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must report to Congress on current state coverage rules and suggest improvements for utilizing these monitoring tools. Following the report, federal resources provided to states must be updated to reflect the recommended best practices for covering remote maternal health monitoring.

The Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special semipostal stamp to raise funds for Lyme disease research. All proceeds from the sale of this stamp will be directed to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). This measure aims to support research into tick-borne illnesses, acknowledging the significant public health and financial burden of Lyme disease in the United States.

The Tick Identification Pilot Program Act of 2025 establishes a pilot program to provide grants to states for creating electronic tick identification services. These state programs will allow residents to submit photos of ticks for review by qualified biologists within 72 hours. The goal is to rapidly inform the public about the tick species, potential disease risk, and necessary next steps to combat tick-borne illnesses.

The Battling Infections Transmitted by Ticks and Exposure (BITE) Act establishes a comprehensive national system to prevent vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease. This system will utilize AI-driven early warning alerts, expert identification services, and real-time monitoring of insurance claims and symptoms. A key goal of the Act is to support efforts to reduce Lyme disease cases by 25% by 2035.